Multicultural

To make some super Day of the Dead Sharpie art, try coloring on aluminum foil. Besides the fact that that colors just glide on, the foil adds a richness to the color which is totally in keeping with the mood of the holiday. Celebrated in Mexico as a day to honor those who have passed on, … Read More

Russian architecture is so different than buildings children are used to drawing. The “ice cream” topped towers look like they came straight out of a fairy tale. • View and download Russian Buildings Tutorial MATERIALS • Russian building tutorial printout • Drawing paper • Sharpie marker • Crayola crayons DIRECTIONS 1. Students follow tutorial to draw … Read More

Students used sandwich wrap paper to draw symmetrical kimono shapes today, and then finished with liquid watercolor paint. The transparent tissue allowed for drawing one side and then tracing the other so they matched. The paper was also strong enough to handle the liquid watercolor paint, and looked a bit like rice paper when dry. A … Read More

Studying the art culture from other countries offers a a new perspective on common items such as clothing. 1.Students start by drawing a large T shape that fills their paper. The sides of the kimono are added next, and then some details (see diagram). 2. Students look at sample photos of kimono fabric and and then … Read More

Here’s an assortment of 4th grade Indian elephants from last week. I just love them! They were made with a Sharpie, crayons and liquid watercolors, from my Elephant Tutorial (see below), and will go in student’s 6″ x 9″ journals. TIP: Premix the gray watercolor paint by adding water to black. ELEPHANT TUTORIAL A stock art … Read More

Here’s a cool project I found recently over at dickblick.com. Air dry clay formed into animals and stacked on a dowel to make a totem pole. I like how it is based on American Indian animal symbols, and requires a bit of attention to physical balance too. Acrylic painting comes next week, stay turned.

To support all the upcoming lessons about Martin Luther King, I’d like to offer this posterized letter size version of my MLK mural. It’s simplified into two shades, dark and light. I printed my sample out on a grey card stock, colored the darkest with a black marker, and the lighter with gray, and then the … Read More

One more paper plate project – Egyptian collar jewelry. Students cut out the center, painted it with Dick Blick gold watercolor, and glued some plastic rhinestones when dry. An easy way to start a costume with lots of impact.

This amazing idea comes from Dream, Draw, Create. An uncoated paper plate takes the watercolor really well, and the border makes for an instant frame. My sample is drawn in pencil, traced with a marker, and then painted with watercolors. With all the multicultural projects goring on at my school right now, I may find more … Read More

I’ve updated My King Tut Tutorial to include a bit more detail, and am posting it in my new PDF format. Oil pastels shown here make for a rich gold color, but metallic gold paint is very pretty too. • View and download King Tut Tutorial Save

My students have drawn lots of traditional American style homes, so now I’d like them to try something different. Specifically, Amsterdam style buildings. They have very different profiles and details, not to mention water canal surroundings. Here’s a tutorial that includes many of these details, without getting too intricate. • View and download Amsterdam Building tutorial

Here’s a peek at an Chinese origami-style dragon project. The body is made of 2″ wide paper strips, and it turns out the Staples brand is the perfect weight, not to mention the perfect package of colors. I think the head could be dressed up or down, depending on the student’s ability.

The Chinese New Year falls on Feb. 19th this year. I’ve made a mural for the “Year of the Goat” that celebrates the paper cutting style invented by the Chinese. You can purchase this template for just $5 at my PDF Shop.

To support all the upcoming lessons about Martin Luther King, I offer this free posterized letter size version of my MLK mural. It’s simplified into two shades, dark and light. I printed my sample out on a grey card stock, colored the darkest with a black marker, and the lighter with gray, and then the eyes … Read More

This is another oil pastel over tempera project that worked well for a multicultural theme recently. A teacher wanted an art project linked to the Bahamas, and this colorful house worked well. I’ve found that when students add oil pastel details over tempera paintings, they end up with a lot more color and detail in their art. … Read More

In Australia, there are Aborigines who live today as they did thousands of years ago. Like cave painters, they use art as a way to tell stories known as “dreamings.” One common feature to is that their drawings are filled with lots of lines and dots and patterns. 1. Start with a dark paper and … Read More

I’ve had many students ask me over the years how to draw a dragon, and I must admit they are not the easiest things to draw. But with the Chinese New Year approaching on January 31st, I thought I’d break down the steps in just drawing a head. Making a grid with fold lines or light … Read More

Martin Luther King, Jr. was the most influential of African American civil rights leaders during the 1960s and he was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. To commemorate his day on January 20th, 2014, I’ve made a new mural that gives a nod to his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. … Read More

The Chinese New Year is coming up on January 31, 2014. Aside from learning more about China, students can also use this lesson to practice perspective with the size of the lanterns, and then even the shading if desired. A print friendly PDF of this tutorial may be downloaded • View and download Chinese Lantern Tutorial

Studying England? Learning how to tell time? Learn about both by drawing Big Ben and then choosing a specific time for the hands of your clock. Who says art projects can’t support other studies? Not me. 1. For extra straight lines, try drawing this clock on 1/4 grid paper. Follow the steps above for the drawing. … Read More

Here’s a combo make in art heaven — gold tempera and a King Tut painting project. Works great for history lessons, or even an excuse to use the paint. It’s inexpensive and adds a bling that students all seem to love. MATERIALS • Multi media paper, 9″ x 12″ • Black Sharpie makers with chisel tip … Read More

“Dia De Los Muertos” is also known as Day of the Dead, and is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd in Mexico. It is all about honoring deceased loved ones, and is a very festive and colorful occasion. I’ve made this new mural in honor of the day in two sizes: one that will fit a … Read More

The Maasai are a group of semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and Tanzania. They are among the best known of African ethnic groups, due to their very colorful customs. One way to simplify (but still celebrate) their look is to draw a solid profile and add your own ornamental headdress. 1. Fold a paper to make … Read More

A few key features will help you learn how to draw artist Frida Kahlo like a pro. She was a Mexican self-portrait artist and feminist icon who was married to Diego Rivera. Draw her hair up, with flowers and classic heavy eyebrows, and there’s not much mistaking whose portrait you are drawing. • View and download … Read More

If you need a Japanese-themed art project, this works well even for kinders. In fact, I personally like the “wobbly” lines of the young ones – who wants a drawing that looks like it was done on a computer? 1. These fans are all based on quarter circles, so you need to start with circle templates. … Read More

I actually ran out of drawing paper recently and tried out this food wrap (dry wax paper) that was left over from an old project. It makes for a very “breezy” painting that looks very delicate. 1. Students fold their 12″ x 12″ food wrap paper in half and crease. With a pencil, they could draw … Read More

This was my solution to finish off my coffee can totem pole project, going with the kind of “wooden” look that kraft paper does so well. Some excited students later added lots of color, but I think the features stand out best when just outlined in black. Here’s an overview of how this pole was made: … Read More

This week I’m going to be making a totem pole with some lucky 3rd graders using old coffee cans, brown packing paper and paper mache. I wanted to get them familiar with Native American imagery, so I made this coloring page as a composite from photos I found on the web. If you print it on … Read More

Studying the art culture from other countries offers a a new perspective on common items such as clothing. 1. I made t-shaped cardboard templates for the students so they could start with straight lines. Mine measured about 10″ wide x 15″ tall. Have the students trace the templates onto white 12″ x 18″ paper. The sides … Read More

The 2013 Chinese New Year is celebrated on February 10th, which is the year of the Snake. I made this paper-cut style mural to celebrate this holiday and learn more about the amazing Chinese art culture. To purchase and immediately download this pdf file, click the image and you will be directed to my new PDF … Read More

I read that the Aboriginal dot style of painting actually began in the 1970s when artists wanted to make symbols of some of their ancient ceremonial rituals. Soil would be cleared and smoothed over to use as a canvas. Designs were outlined with dancing circles and often surrounded with a mass of dots. Afterward the imprinted … Read More

Drawing a Tiki face is all about making symmetrical shapes, and usually captures the attention of some of the more “restless” students. 1. Give the students a sheet of brown construction paper, and ask them to fold it in half vertically so they know where the center of their face will be. Using the sample Tiki … Read More

The Chinese New Year is coming up on January 31, 2014. Aside from learning more about China, students can also use this lesson to practice perspective with the size of the lanterns, and then even the shading if desired. A print friendly PDF of this tutorial may be downloaded HERE.

Art Trading Cards, also known as ATC’s, have been popping up everywhere as a means to create small-scale art that can easily be collected and traded. 1. Purchase many packets of 2.75″ x 3.75″ plastic trading card sleeves for each student. They generally cost just a penny each. Provide lots of construction paper that is already … Read More

I actually ran out of drawing paper recently and tried out this food wrap (dry wax paper) that was left over from an old project. It makes for a very “breezy” painting that looks very delicate. 1. Students fold their 12″ x 12″ food wrap paper in half and crease. With a pencil, they could draw … Read More

The Maasai people of African are located in Kenya. Their distinctive clothing and head dress make them among the most well known of all African tribes. A marker drawing on a piece of madras pattern tissue paper is one way to pay tribute to their fascinating culture. 1. After discussing a bit about the Maasai, I … Read More

If you need a Japanese-themed art project, this works well even for kinders. In fact, I personally like the “wobbly” lines of the young ones – who wants a drawing that looks like it was done on a computer? 1. These fans are all based on quarter circles, so you need to start with circle templates. … Read More

This is another oil pastel over tempera project that worked well for a multicultural theme recently. A teacher wanted an art project linked to the Bahamas, and this colorful house worked well. I’ve found that when students add oil pastel details over tempera paintings, they end up with a lot more color and detail in their art. … Read More

Diversity Day is approaching, so I’m trying to integrate each classroom’s chosen country into their art lessons. No small task, but for some reason I enjoy the challenge. A second grade class made this drawing today, which was an exercise in drawing close shapes large and far shapes small. 1. I started with colored paper so … Read More

In Australia, there are Aborigines who live today as they did thousands of years ago. Like cave painters, they use art as a way to tell stories known as “dreamings.” One common feature to is that their drawings are filled with lots of lines and dots and patterns. 1. Start with a dark paper and pencil … Read More

Molas are handmade textiles from Panama which use a reverse appliqué technique. Several layers of different-colored cloth are sewn together and the design is then formed by cutting parts of each layer away. While that technique is pretty intricate, the look can be imitated by layering construction paper. 1. The process starts with choosing the main … Read More

I’ve been doing this card project with kinders for about 8 years now, and I’ve yet to find one better. Students can make this for whatever they celebrate, and practice their tearing and cutting skills as well. 1. Students tear a 3″ x 11″ strip of card stock into 3 pieces. The middle one with two … Read More